Indirect instruction predication

ABSTRACT

A method, circuit arrangement, and program product for selectively predicating instructions in an instruction stream by determining a first register address from an instruction, determining a second register address based on a value stored at the first register address, and determining whether to predicate the instruction based at least in part on a value stored at the second register address. Predication logic may analyze the instruction to determine the first register address, analyze a register corresponding to the first register address to determine the second register address, and communicate a predication signal to an execution unit based at least in part on the value stored at the second register address.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is generally related to data processing, and in particularto processor architectures and execution units incorporated therein.

BACKGROUND

Instruction predication is a valuable feature in some processorarchitectures. Predication facilitates the prevention of execution ofinstructions in an instruction stream, which is referred to as“predicating” an instruction. Instruction predication is generally usedin execution units performing algorithms that rely on loops and/orconditional branches and decision making. Instruction predication may beused, for example, in an algorithm utilizing a loop, where instructionsimplementing the loop are to be skipped when the loop is exited. Assuch, the instructions to be skipped when exiting the loop may bepredicated in an instruction stream. In another example, a conditionalinstruction may have two possible outcomes, where instructions of onebranch may be skipped depending on the resolution of the conditionalinstruction. As such, instruction predication logic predicates (i.e.,prevents execution of) instructions corresponding to the branch not“taken” by the conditional instruction.

For example, image processing algorithms implemented in some threedimensional (3D) graphics applications incorporate a z-buffer algorithmtest. In such 3D graphics applications, great care must be taken toavoid drawing objects that would not be visible, such as when an opaqueobject is closer to the camera than another object. In such a case, theobject closer to the camera would block the farther object, and a 3Dapplication that is attempting to draw this scene must not draw thefurther object. A z-buffer generally refers to a set of values thatrepresent distance from the camera (sometimes called depth) for eachpixel. Every time the rasterizing algorithm is ready to draw a pixel, itcompares the depth of the pixel it is attempting to draw with the depthof the z-buffer for that pixel. If the z-buffer value indicates that theexisting pixel is closer to the camera, the new pixel is not drawn andthe z-buffer value is not updated. In contrast, if the new pixel to bedrawn is closer to the camera, the new pixel is drawn and the z-bufferis updated with the new depth associated with that pixel. In a pixelshader of the 3D application, the algorithm may draw a pixel and updatethe z-buffer if the new pixel is closer to the camera than the olderpixel stored in the z-buffer, but if the new pixel is not closer to thecamera, the instructions following the z-buffer compare should beskipped and the next pixel should be tested. As such, predication may beutilized to skip instructions for a pixel depending on the outcome ofthe z-buffer compare.

In conventional processor architectures utilizing instructionpredication, predication of an instruction is generally controlled by astate of a predication register. Each instruction in the instructionstream includes a predication register address portion corresponding toan address in the predication register, where the data stored at theregister address indicates whether to predicate the instruction. Assuch, data of a predication register address may be adjusted to indicatewhether to predicate an instruction, where the instruction will includedata indicating the predication register address the processor mayaccess to determine whether to predicate the particular instruction. Forexample, in the VLIW IA-64 processor architecture, a 64 bit predicationregister and 128 bit 3-instruction bundles are utilized, where eachinstruction includes a 41 bit instruction size and a predication fieldof 6-bits in the 41 bit instruction that determines which registeraddress of the predicate register is used to determine whether topredicate the instruction.

However, in some fixed instruction length processor architectures, usingbits of an instruction for a predication field uses up valuable space inthe instruction that otherwise may be used for register addresses,opcodes, and/or other such data. As such, in some processorarchitectures, and particularly smaller fixed length instructionarchitectures, utilizing bits of an instruction for a predicate fieldmay reduce the number of possible opcodes, source and/or targetaddresses that may be utilized in a processor using the architecture.

Therefore, a continuing need exists in the art for implementinginstruction predication in processor architectures, and desirablywithout dedicating bits of an instruction to a predication field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention addresses these and other problems associated with theprior art by selectively predicating instructions in an instructionstream using indirect instruction predication. In such embodiments,instructions in the instruction stream are predicated by determining afirst register address in an instruction corresponding to an indirectpredication register, determining a second register address based on thevalue at the first register address of the indirect predicationregister, and selectively predicating the instruction based on a valuestored at the second register address.

Consistent with embodiments of the invention, a processing unit includespredication logic configured to determine whether to selectivelypredicate a respective instruction in an instruction stream in parallelwith the instruction being decoded by decode logic of the processingunit. The predication logic determines a first register address from therespective instruction and determines a second register address from thevalue at the first register address. The predication logic determineswhether to predicate the respective instruction based on the valuestored at the second register address.

Therefore, in embodiments consistent with the invention, a firstregister address of one or more bits may be included in an instruction.The value at the first register address may point to second registeraddress corresponds to a predication bit for the respective instruction.Based on the value at the second register address, the predication logiccommunicates a predicated instruction signal to an associated executionunit such that the respective instruction may be predicated based on thevalue at the second register address.

These and other advantages and features, which characterize theinvention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming afurther part hereof. However, for a better understanding of theinvention, and of the advantages and objectives attained through itsuse, reference should be made to the drawings, and to the accompanyingdescriptive matter, in which there is described exemplary embodiments ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of exemplary automated computing machineryincluding an exemplary computer useful in data processing consistentwith embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary NOC implemented in thecomputer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail an exemplaryimplementation of a node from the NOC of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation of anIP block from the NOC of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation of anIP block from the NOC of FIG. 2 or the processor of FIG. 1 incorporatingpredication logic suitable for implementing instruction predicationconsistent with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation ofpredication logic from the IP block of FIG. 5 suitable for implementinginstruction predication consistent with embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a sequence of operations that may beperformed by the IP block of FIG. 5 to selectively predicateinstructions in an instruction stream.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a sequence of operations that may beperformed by the IP block of FIG. 5 to selectively predicateinstructions in an instruction stream.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variouspreferred features illustrative of the basic principles of embodimentsof the invention. The specific features consistent with embodiments ofthe invention disclosed herein, including, for example, specificdimensions, orientations, locations, sequences of operations and shapesof various illustrated components, will be determined in part by theparticular intended application, use and/or environment. Certainfeatures of the illustrated embodiments may have been enlarged ordistorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and clearunderstanding.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments consistent with the invention selectively predicateinstructions of an instruction stream by determining a first registeraddress from a respective instruction, determining a second registeraddress based on the value of the first register address, anddetermining whether to predicate the respective instruction based on thevalue of the second register address. In some embodiments, the firstregister address included in the instruction may comprise N number ofbits of the instruction. A register corresponding to the first registeraddress may include 2^(N) register entries, such that the first registeraddress of the instruction points to a particular register entry of theregister. Each register entry may comprise X number of bits, and thesecond register address may be determined based at least in part on theregister entry pointed to by the first register address. A registercorresponding to the second register address may include 2^(X) bits,such that the second register address may point to a particular bitlocation of the register corresponding to the second register address.Based at least in part on the value of the bit location pointed to bythe second register address, the instruction may be predicated.

For example, a 32 bit instruction may include two bits for the firstregister address, such that the first register address points to one offour register entries. In this example, predication logic of a processorexecuting the instruction may access a particular register entry basedon the two bit first register address. The bits stored at the particularregister entry may correspond to the second register address. In thisexample, if each register entry stores six bits, the second registeraddress may comprise six bits and may therefore point to a particularbit location of a sixty four bit register. As such, the predicationlogic may access the particular bit location corresponding to the secondregister address, and the predication logic may determine whether topredicate the instruction based on the value stored at the particularbit location.

As illustrated by the example provided above, the number of bits of aninstruction corresponding to a predication register address may bereduced by pointing to a particular register entry, where each registerentry may store a larger quantity of bits that may be used to point to asecond register address location, including for example, a bit locationof a predication register. Therefore, embodiments of the invention mayreduce the number of bits of an instruction dedicated to indicating apredication register address relative to conventional processingarchitectures employing instruction predication.

Hardware and Software Environment

Now turning to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like partsthroughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary automatedcomputing machinery including an exemplary computer 10 useful in dataprocessing consistent with embodiments of the present invention.Computer 10 of FIG. 1 includes at least one computer processor 12 or‘CPU’ as well as random access memory 14 (‘RAM’), which is connectedthrough a high speed memory bus 16 and bus adapter 18 to processor 12and to other components of the computer 10.

Stored in RAM 14 is an application program 20, a module of user-levelcomputer program instructions for carrying out particular dataprocessing tasks such as, for example, word processing, spreadsheets,database operations, video gaming, stock market simulations, atomicquantum process simulations, or other user-level applications. Alsostored in RAM 14 is an operating system 22. Operating systems useful inconnection with embodiments of the invention include UNIX™, Linux™,Microsoft Windows XP™, AIX™, IBM's i5/OS™, and others as will occur tothose of skill in the art. Operating system 22 and application 20 in theexample of FIG. 1 are shown in RAM 14, but many components of suchsoftware typically are stored in non-volatile memory also, e.g., on adisk drive 24.

As will become more apparent below, embodiments consistent with theinvention may be implemented within Network On Chip (NOC) integratedcircuit devices, or chips, and as such, computer 10 is illustratedincluding two exemplary NOCs: a video adapter 26 and a coprocessor 28.NOC video adapter 26, which may alternatively be referred to as agraphics adapter, is an example of an I/O adapter specially designed forgraphic output to a display device 30 such as a display screen orcomputer monitor. NOC video adapter 26 is connected to processor 12through a high speed video bus 32, bus adapter 18, and the front sidebus 34, which is also a high speed bus. NOC Coprocessor 28 is connectedto processor 12 through bus adapter 18, and front side buses 34 and 36,which is also a high speed bus. The NOC coprocessor of FIG. 1 may beoptimized, for example, to accelerate particular data processing tasksat the behest of the main processor 12.

The exemplary NOC video adapter 26 and NOC coprocessor 28 of FIG. 1 eachinclude a NOC, including integrated processor (‘IP’) blocks, routers,memory communications controllers, and network interface controllers,the details of which will be discussed in greater detail below inconnection with FIGS. 2-3. The NOC video adapter and NOC coprocessor areeach optimized for programs that use parallel processing and alsorequire fast random access to shared memory. It will be appreciated byone of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the instantdisclosure, however, that the invention may be implemented in devicesand device architectures other than NOC devices and devicearchitectures. The invention is therefore not limited to implementationwithin an NOC device.

Computer 10 of FIG. 1 includes disk drive adapter 38 coupled through anexpansion bus 40 and bus adapter 18 to processor 12 and other componentsof the computer 10. Disk drive adapter 38 connects non-volatile datastorage to the computer 10 in the form of disk drive 24, and may beimplemented, for example, using Integrated Drive Electronics (‘IDE’)adapters, Small Computer System Interface (‘SCSI’) adapters, and othersas will occur to those of skill in the art. Non-volatile computer memoryalso may be implemented for as an optical disk drive, electricallyerasable programmable read-only memory (so-called ‘EEPROM’ or ‘Flash’memory), RAM drives, and so on, as will occur to those of skill in theart.

Computer 10 also includes one or more input/output (‘I/O’) adapters 42,which implement user-oriented input/output through, for example,software drivers and computer hardware for controlling output to displaydevices such as computer display screens, as well as user input fromuser input devices 44 such as keyboards and mice. In addition, computer10 includes a communications adapter 46 for data communications withother computers 48 and for data communications with a datacommunications network 50. Such data communications may be carried outserially through RS-232 connections, through external buses such as aUniversal Serial Bus (‘USB’), through data communications datacommunications networks such as IP data communications networks, and inother ways as will occur to those of skill in the art. Communicationsadapters implement the hardware level of data communications throughwhich one computer sends data communications to another computer,directly or through a data communications network. Examples ofcommunications adapters suitable for use in computer 10 include modemsfor wired dial-up communications, Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) adapters forwired data communications network communications, and 802.11 adaptersfor wireless data communications network communications.

For further explanation, FIG. 2 sets forth a functional block diagram ofan example NOC 102 according to embodiments of the present invention.The NOC in FIG. 2 is implemented on a ‘chip’ 100, that is, on anintegrated circuit. NOC 102 includes integrated processor (IP′) blocks104, routers 110, memory communications controllers 106, and networkinterface controllers 108 grouped into interconnected nodes. Each IPblock 104 is adapted to a router 110 through a memory communicationscontroller 106 and a network interface controller 108. Each memorycommunications controller controls communications between an IP blockand memory, and each network interface controller 108 controls inter-IPblock communications through routers 110.

In NOC 102, each IP block represents a reusable unit of synchronous orasynchronous logic design used as a building block for data processingwithin the NOC. The term ‘IP block’ is sometimes expanded as‘intellectual property block,’ effectively designating an IP block as adesign that is owned by a party, that is the intellectual property of aparty, to be licensed to other users or designers of semiconductorcircuits. In the scope of the present invention, however, there is norequirement that IP blocks be subject to any particular ownership, sothe term is always expanded in this specification as ‘integratedprocessor block.’ IP blocks, as specified here, are reusable units oflogic, cell, or chip layout design that may or may not be the subject ofintellectual property. IP blocks are logic cores that can be formed asASIC chip designs or FPGA logic designs.

One way to describe IP blocks by analogy is that IP blocks are for NOCdesign what a library is for computer programming or a discreteintegrated circuit component is for printed circuit board design. InNOCs consistent with embodiments of the present invention, IP blocks maybe implemented as generic gate netlists, as complete special purpose orgeneral purpose microprocessors, or in other ways as may occur to thoseof skill in the art. A netlist is a Boolean-algebra representation(gates, standard cells) of an IP block's logical-function, analogous toan assembly-code listing for a high-level program application. NOCs alsomay be implemented, for example, in synthesizable form, described in ahardware description language such as Verilog or VHDL. In addition tonetlist and synthesizable implementation, NOCs also may be delivered inlower-level, physical descriptions. Analog IP block elements such asSERDES, PLL, DAC, ADC, and so on, may be distributed in atransistor-layout format such as GDSII. Digital elements of IP blocksare sometimes offered in layout format as well. It will also beappreciated that IP blocks, as well as other logic circuitry implementedconsistent with the invention may be distributed in the form of computerdata files, e.g., logic definition program code, that define at variouslevels of detail the functionality and/or layout of the circuitarrangements implementing such logic. Thus, while the invention has andhereinafter will be described in the context of circuit arrangementsimplemented in fully functioning integrated circuit devices, dataprocessing systems utilizing such devices, and other tangible, physicalhardware circuits, those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefitof the instant disclosure will appreciate that the invention may also beimplemented within a program product, and that the invention appliesequally regardless of the particular type of computer readable storagemedium being used to distribute the program product. Examples ofcomputer readable storage media include, but are not limited to,physical, recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memorydevices, floppy disks, hard disk drives, CD-ROMs, and DVDs (amongothers).

Each IP block 104 in the example of FIG. 2 is adapted to a router 110through a memory communications controller 106. Each memorycommunication controller is an aggregation of synchronous andasynchronous logic circuitry adapted to provide data communicationsbetween an IP block and memory. Examples of such communications betweenIP blocks and memory include memory load instructions and memory storeinstructions. The memory communications controllers 106 are described inmore detail below with reference to FIG. 3. Each IP block 104 is alsoadapted to a router 110 through a network interface controller 108,which controls communications through routers 110 between IP blocks 104.Examples of communications between IP blocks include messages carryingdata and instructions for processing the data among IP blocks inparallel applications and in pipelined applications. The networkinterface controllers 108 are also described in more detail below withreference to FIG. 3.

Routers 110, and the corresponding links 118 therebetween, implement thenetwork operations of the NOC. The links 118 may be packet structuresimplemented on physical, parallel wire buses connecting all the routers.That is, each link may be implemented on a wire bus wide enough toaccommodate simultaneously an entire data switching packet, includingall header information and payload data. If a packet structure includes64 bytes, for example, including an eight byte header and 56 bytes ofpayload data, then the wire bus subtending each link is 64 bytes wide,512 wires. In addition, each link may be bi-directional, so that if thelink packet structure includes 64 bytes, the wire bus actually contains1024 wires between each router and each of its neighbors in the network.In such an implementation, a message could include more than one packet,but each packet would fit precisely onto the width of the wire bus. Inthe alternative, a link may be implemented on a wire bus that is onlywide enough to accommodate a portion of a packet, such that a packetwould be broken up into multiple beats, e.g., so that if a link isimplemented as 16 bytes in width, or 128 wires, a 64 byte packet couldbe broken into four beats. It will be appreciated that differentimplementations may used different bus widths based on practicalphysical limits as well as desired performance characteristics. If theconnection between the router and each section of wire bus is referredto as a port, then each router includes five ports, one for each of fourdirections of data transmission on the network and a fifth port foradapting the router to a particular IP block through a memorycommunications controller and a network interface controller.

Each memory communications controller 106 controls communicationsbetween an IP block and memory. Memory can include off-chip main RAM112, memory 114 connected directly to an IP block through a memorycommunications controller 106, on-chip memory enabled as an IP block116, and on-chip caches. In NOC 102, either of the on-chip memories 114,116, for example, may be implemented as on-chip cache memory. All theseforms of memory can be disposed in the same address space, physicaladdresses or virtual addresses, true even for the memory attacheddirectly to an IP block. Memory addressed messages therefore can beentirely bidirectional with respect to IP blocks, because such memorycan be addressed directly from any IP block anywhere on the network.Memory 116 on an IP block can be addressed from that IP block or fromany other IP block in the NOC. Memory 114 attached directly to a memorycommunication controller can be addressed by the IP block that isadapted to the network by that memory communication controller—and canalso be addressed from any other IP block anywhere in the NOC.

NOC 102 includes two memory management units (‘MMUs’) 120, 122,illustrating two alternative memory architectures for NOCs consistentwith embodiments of the present invention. MMU 120 is implemented withinan IP block, allowing a processor within the IP block to operate invirtual memory while allowing the entire remaining architecture of theNOC to operate in a physical memory address space. MMU 122 isimplemented off-chip, connected to the NOC through a data communicationsport 124. The port 124 includes the pins and other interconnectionsrequired to conduct signals between the NOC and the MMU, as well assufficient intelligence to convert message packets from the NOC packetformat to the bus format required by the external MMU 122. The externallocation of the MMU means that all processors in all IP blocks of theNOC can operate in virtual memory address space, with all conversions tophysical addresses of the off-chip memory handled by the off-chip MMU122.

In addition to the two memory architectures illustrated by use of theMMUs 120, 122, data communications port 126 illustrates a third memoryarchitecture useful in NOCs capable of being utilized in embodiments ofthe present invention. Port 126 provides a direct connection between anIP block 104 of the NOC 102 and off-chip memory 112. With no MMU in theprocessing path, this architecture provides utilization of a physicaladdress space by all the IP blocks of the NOC. In sharing the addressspace bi-directionally, all the IP blocks of the NOC can access memoryin the address space by memory-addressed messages, including loads andstores, directed through the IP block connected directly to the port126. The port 126 includes the pins and other interconnections requiredto conduct signals between the NOC and the off-chip memory 112, as wellas sufficient intelligence to convert message packets from the NOCpacket format to the bus format required by the off-chip memory 112.

In the example of FIG. 2, one of the IP blocks is designated a hostinterface processor 128. A host interface processor 128 provides aninterface between the NOC and a host computer 10 in which the NOC may beinstalled and also provides data processing services to the other IPblocks on the NOC, including, for example, receiving and dispatchingamong the IP blocks of the NOC data processing requests from the hostcomputer. A NOC may, for example, implement a video graphics adapter 26or a coprocessor 28 on a larger computer 10 as described above withreference to FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 2, the host interfaceprocessor 128 is connected to the larger host computer through a datacommunications port 130. The port 130 includes the pins and otherinterconnections required to conduct signals between the NOC and thehost computer, as well as sufficient intelligence to convert messagepackets from the NOC to the bus format required by the host computer 10.In the example of the NOC coprocessor in the computer of FIG. 1, such aport would provide data communications format translation between thelink structure of the NOC coprocessor 28 and the protocol required forthe front side bus 36 between the NOC coprocessor 28 and the bus adapter18.

FIG. 3 next illustrates a functional block diagram illustrating ingreater detail the components implemented within an IP block 104, memorycommunications controller 106, network interface controller 108 androuter 110 in NOC 102, collectively illustrated at 132 which may bereferred to as a node or a hardware thread. IP block 104 includes acomputer processor 134 and I/O functionality 136. In this example,computer memory is represented by a segment of random access memory(‘RAM’) 138 in IP block 104. The memory, as described above withreference to FIG. 2, can occupy segments of a physical address spacewhose contents on each IP block are addressable and accessible from anyIP block in the NOC. The processors 134, I/O capabilities 136, andmemory 138 in each IP block effectively implement the IP blocks asgenerally programmable microcomputers. As explained above, however, inthe scope of the present invention, IP blocks generally representreusable units of synchronous or asynchronous logic used as buildingblocks for data processing within a NOC. Implementing IP blocks asgenerally programmable microcomputers, therefore, although a commonembodiment useful for purposes of explanation, is not a limitation ofthe present invention.

In NOC 102 of FIG. 3, each memory communications controller 106 includesa plurality of memory communications execution engines 140. Each memorycommunications execution engine 140 is enabled to execute memorycommunications instructions from an IP block 104, includingbidirectional memory communications instruction flow 141, 142, 144between the network and the IP block 104. The memory communicationsinstructions executed by the memory communications controller mayoriginate, not only from the IP block adapted to a router through aparticular memory communications controller, but also from any IP block104 anywhere in NOC 102. That is, any IP block in the NOC can generate amemory communications instruction and transmit that memorycommunications instruction through the routers of the NOC to anothermemory communications controller associated with another IP block forexecution of that memory communications instruction. Such memorycommunications instructions can include, for example, translationlookaside buffer control instructions, cache control instructions,barrier instructions, and memory load and store instructions.

Each memory communications execution engine 140 is enabled to execute acomplete memory communications instruction separately and in parallelwith other memory communications execution engines. The memorycommunications execution engines implement a scalable memory transactionprocessor optimized for concurrent throughput of memory communicationsinstructions. Memory communications controller 106 supports multiplememory communications execution engines 140 all of which runconcurrently for simultaneous execution of multiple memorycommunications instructions. A new memory communications instruction isallocated by the memory communications controller 106 to a memorycommunications engine 140 and memory communications execution engines140 can accept multiple response events simultaneously. In this example,all of the memory communications execution engines 140 are identical.Scaling the number of memory communications instructions that can behandled simultaneously by a memory communications controller 106,therefore, is implemented by scaling the number of memory communicationsexecution engines 140.

In NOC 102 of FIG. 3, each network interface controller 108 is enabledto convert communications instructions from command format to networkpacket format for transmission among the IP blocks 104 through routers110. The communications instructions may be formulated in command formatby the IP block 104 or by memory communications controller 106 andprovided to the network interface controller 108 in command format. Thecommand format may be a native format that conforms to architecturalregister files of IP block 104 and memory communications controller 106.The network packet format is typically the format required fortransmission through routers 110 of the network. Each such message iscomposed of one or more network packets. Examples of such communicationsinstructions that are converted from command format to packet format inthe network interface controller include memory load instructions andmemory store instructions between IP blocks and memory. Suchcommunications instructions may also include communications instructionsthat send messages among IP blocks carrying data and instructions forprocessing the data among IP blocks in parallel applications and inpipelined applications.

In NOC 102 of FIG. 3, each IP block is enabled to sendmemory-address-based communications to and from memory through the IPblock's memory communications controller and then also through itsnetwork interface controller to the network. A memory-address-basedcommunications is a memory access instruction, such as a loadinstruction or a store instruction, that is executed by a memorycommunication execution engine of a memory communications controller ofan IP block. Such memory-address-based communications typicallyoriginate in an IP block, formulated in command format, and handed offto a memory communications controller for execution.

Many memory-address-based communications are executed with messagetraffic, because any memory to be accessed may be located anywhere inthe physical memory address space, on-chip or off-chip, directlyattached to any memory communications controller in the NOC, orultimately accessed through any IP block of the NOC—regardless of whichIP block originated any particular memory-address-based communication.Thus, in NOC 102, all memory-address-based communications that areexecuted with message traffic are passed from the memory communicationscontroller to an associated network interface controller for conversionfrom command format to packet format and transmission through thenetwork in a message. In converting to packet format, the networkinterface controller also identifies a network address for the packet independence upon the memory address or addresses to be accessed by amemory-address-based communication. Memory address based messages areaddressed with memory addresses. Each memory address is mapped by thenetwork interface controllers to a network address, typically thenetwork location of a memory communications controller responsible forsome range of physical memory addresses. The network location of amemory communication controller 106 is naturally also the networklocation of that memory communication controller's associated router110, network interface controller 108, and IP block 104. The instructionconversion logic 150 within each network interface controller is capableof converting memory addresses to network addresses for purposes oftransmitting memory-address-based communications through routers of aNOC.

Upon receiving message traffic from routers 110 of the network, eachnetwork interface controller 108 inspects each packet for memoryinstructions. Each packet containing a memory instruction is handed tothe memory communications controller 106 associated with the receivingnetwork interface controller, which executes the memory instructionbefore sending the remaining payload of the packet to the IP block forfurther processing. In this way, memory contents are always prepared tosupport data processing by an IP block before the IP block beginsexecution of instructions from a message that depend upon particularmemory content.

In NOC 102 of FIG. 3, each IP block 104 is enabled to bypass its memorycommunications controller 106 and send inter-IP block, network-addressedcommunications 146 directly to the network through the IP block'snetwork interface controller 108. Network-addressed communications aremessages directed by a network address to another IP block. Suchmessages transmit working data in pipelined applications, multiple datafor single program processing among IP blocks in a SIMD application, andso on, as will occur to those of skill in the art. Such messages aredistinct from memory-address-based communications in that they arenetwork addressed from the start, by the originating IP block whichknows the network address to which the message is to be directed throughrouters of the NOC. Such network-addressed communications are passed bythe IP block through I/O functions 136 directly to the IP block'snetwork interface controller in command format, then converted to packetformat by the network interface controller and transmitted throughrouters of the NOC to another IP block. Such network-addressedcommunications 146 are bi-directional, potentially proceeding to andfrom each IP block of the NOC, depending on their use in any particularapplication. Each network interface controller, however, is enabled toboth send and receive such communications to and from an associatedrouter, and each network interface controller is enabled to both sendand receive such communications directly to and from an associated IPblock, bypassing an associated memory communications controller 106.

Each network interface controller 108 in the example of FIG. 3 is alsoenabled to implement virtual channels on the network, characterizingnetwork packets by type. Each network interface controller 108 includesvirtual channel implementation logic 148 that classifies eachcommunication instruction by type and records the type of instruction ina field of the network packet format before handing off the instructionin packet form to a router 110 for transmission on the NOC. Examples ofcommunication instruction types include inter-IP blocknetwork-address-based messages, request messages, responses to requestmessages, invalidate messages directed to caches; memory load and storemessages; and responses to memory load messages, etc.

Each router 110 in the example of FIG. 3 includes routing logic 152,virtual channel control logic 154, and virtual channel buffers 156. Therouting logic typically is implemented as a network of synchronous andasynchronous logic that implements a data communications protocol stackfor data communication in the network formed by the routers 110, links118, and bus wires among the routers. Routing logic 152 includes thefunctionality that readers of skill in the art might associate inoff-chip networks with routing tables, routing tables in at least someembodiments being considered too slow and cumbersome for use in a NOC.Routing logic implemented as a network of synchronous and asynchronouslogic can be configured to make routing decisions as fast as a singleclock cycle. The routing logic in this example routes packets byselecting a port for forwarding each packet received in a router. Eachpacket contains a network address to which the packet is to be routed.

In describing memory-address-based communications above, each memoryaddress was described as mapped by network interface controllers to anetwork address, a network location of a memory communicationscontroller. The network location of a memory communication controller106 is naturally also the network location of that memory communicationcontroller's associated router 110, network interface controller 108,and IP block 104. In inter-IP block, or network-address-basedcommunications, therefore, it is also typical for application-level dataprocessing to view network addresses as the location of an IP blockwithin the network formed by the routers, links, and bus wires of theNOC. FIG. 2 illustrates that one organization of such a network is amesh of rows and columns in which each network address can beimplemented, for example, as either a unique identifier for each set ofassociated router, IP block, memory communications controller, andnetwork interface controller of the mesh or x, y coordinates of eachsuch set in the mesh.

In NOC 102 of FIG. 3, each router 110 implements two or more virtualcommunications channels, where each virtual communications channel ischaracterized by a communication type. Communication instruction types,and therefore virtual channel types, include those mentioned above:inter-IP block network-address-based messages, request messages,responses to request messages, invalidate messages directed to caches;memory load and store messages; and responses to memory load messages,and so on. In support of virtual channels, each router 110 in theexample of FIG. 3 also includes virtual channel control logic 154 andvirtual channel buffers 156. The virtual channel control logic 154examines each received packet for its assigned communications type andplaces each packet in an outgoing virtual channel buffer for thatcommunications type for transmission through a port to a neighboringrouter on the NOC.

Each virtual channel buffer 156 has finite storage space. When manypackets are received in a short period of time, a virtual channel buffercan fill up—so that no more packets can be put in the buffer. In otherprotocols, packets arriving on a virtual channel whose buffer is fullwould be dropped. Each virtual channel buffer 156 in this example,however, is enabled with control signals of the bus wires to advisesurrounding routers through the virtual channel control logic to suspendtransmission in a virtual channel, that is, suspend transmission ofpackets of a particular communications type. When one virtual channel isso suspended, all other virtual channels are unaffected—and can continueto operate at full capacity. The control signals are wired all the wayback through each router to each router's associated network interfacecontroller 108. Each network interface controller is configured to, uponreceipt of such a signal, refuse to accept, from its associated memorycommunications controller 106 or from its associated IP block 104,communications instructions for the suspended virtual channel. In thisway, suspension of a virtual channel affects all the hardware thatimplements the virtual channel, all the way back up to the originatingIP blocks.

One effect of suspending packet transmissions in a virtual channel isthat no packets are ever dropped. When a router encounters a situationin which a packet might be dropped in some unreliable protocol such as,for example, the Internet Protocol, the routers in the example of FIG. 3may suspend by their virtual channel buffers 156 and their virtualchannel control logic 154 all transmissions of packets in a virtualchannel until buffer space is again available, eliminating any need todrop packets. The NOC of FIG. 3, therefore, may implement highlyreliable network communications protocols with an extremely thin layerof hardware.

The example NOC of FIG. 3 may also be configured to maintain cachecoherency between both on-chip and off-chip memory caches. Each NOC cansupport multiple caches each of which operates against the sameunderlying memory address space. For example, caches may be controlledby IP blocks, by memory communications controllers, or by cachecontrollers external to the NOC. Either of the on-chip memories 114, 116in the example of FIG. 2 may also be implemented as an on-chip cache,and, within the scope of the present invention, cache memory can beimplemented off-chip also.

Each router 110 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes five ports, four ports158A-D connected through bus wires 118 to other routers and a fifth port160 connecting each router to its associated IP block 104 through anetwork interface controller 108 and a memory communications controller106. As can be seen from the illustrations in FIGS. 2 and 3, the routers110 and the links 118 of the NOC 102 form a mesh network with verticaland horizontal links connecting vertical and horizontal ports in eachrouter. In the illustration of FIG. 3, for example, ports 158A, 158C and160 are termed vertical ports, and ports 158B and 158D are termedhorizontal ports.

FIG. 4 next illustrates in another manner one exemplary implementationof an IP block 104 consistent with the invention, implemented as aprocessing element partitioned into an instruction unit (IU) 162,execution unit (XU) 164 and auxiliary execution unit (AXU) 166. In theillustrated implementation, IU 162 includes a plurality of instructionbuffers 168 that receive instructions from an L1 instruction cache(iCACHE) 170. Each instruction buffer 168 is dedicated to one of aplurality, e.g., four, symmetric multithreaded (SMT) hardware threads.An effective-to-real translation unit (iERAT) 172 is coupled to iCACHE170, and is used to translate instruction fetch requests from aplurality of thread fetch sequencers 174 into real addresses forretrieval of instructions from lower order memory. Each thread fetchsequencer 174 is dedicated to a particular hardware thread, and is usedto ensure that instructions to be executed by the associated thread isfetched into the iCACHE for dispatch to the appropriate execution unit.As also shown in FIG. 4, instructions fetched into instruction buffer168 may also be monitored by branch prediction logic 176, which provideshints to each thread fetch sequencer 174 to minimize instruction cachemisses resulting from branches in executing threads.

IU 162 also includes a dependency/issue logic block 178 dedicated toeach hardware thread, and configured to resolve dependencies and controlthe issue of instructions from instruction buffer 168 to XU 164. Inaddition, in the illustrated embodiment, separate dependency/issue logic180 is provided in AXU 166, thus enabling separate instructions to beconcurrently issued by different threads to XU 164 and AXU 166. In analternative embodiment, logic 180 may be disposed in IU 162, or may beomitted in its entirety, such that logic 178 issues instructions to AXU166.

XU 164 is implemented as a fixed point execution unit, including a setof general purpose registers (GPR's) 182 coupled to fixed point logic184, branch logic 186 and load/store logic 188. Load/store logic 188 iscoupled to an L1 data cache (dCACHE) 190, with effective to realtranslation provided by dERAT logic 192. XU 164 may be configured toimplement practically any instruction set, e.g., all or a portion of a32 b or 64 b PowerPC instruction set.

AXU 166 operates as an auxiliary execution unit including dedicateddependency/issue logic 180 along with one or more execution blocks 194.AXU 166 may include any number of execution blocks, and may implementpractically any type of execution unit, e.g., a floating point unit, orone or more specialized execution units such as encryption/decryptionunits, coprocessors, vector processing units, graphics processing units,XML processing units, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, AXU 166includes a high speed auxiliary interface to XU 164, e.g., to supportdirect moves between AXU architected state and XU architected state.

Communication with IP block 104 may be managed in the manner discussedabove in connection with FIG. 2, via network interface controller 108coupled to NOC 102. Address-based communication, e.g., to access L2cache memory, may be provided, along with message-based communication.For example, each IP block 104 may include a dedicated in box and/or outbox in order to handle inter-node communications between IP blocks.Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented within thehardware and software environment described above in connection withFIGS. 1-4. However, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill inthe art having the benefit of the instant disclosure that the inventionmay be implemented in a multitude of different environments, and thatother modifications may be made to the aforementioned hardware andsoftware embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. As such, the invention is not limited to the particularhardware and software environment disclosed herein.

Instruction Predication Utilizing an Indirect Predication Register

In some embodiments of the invention an instruction may include a firstregister address. Predication logic of a processing unit may determine asecond register address based at least in part on the value stored atthe first register address, and the predication logic may determinewhether to predicate the instruction based at least in part on the valuestored at the second register address.

In some embodiments, predication logic of a processing unit maydetermine a bit location of a predication register that indicateswhether to predicate an instruction based on a value stored at aregister entry of an indirect predication register. The address of therelevant register entry of the indirect predication register may beincluded in the instruction. The number of bits of the instructiondedicated to pointing to the register entry of the indirect predicationregister may be less than the number of bits needed to point to the bitlocation of the predication register. As such, bit space may be saved inthe instruction by pointing to the register entry of the indirectpredication register as compared to directly pointing to the bitlocation of the predication register.

Turning now to FIG. 5, this figure illustrates an exemplary blockdiagram of a processor 200 or processing unit consistent withembodiments of the invention including decode logic 202 for decodingreceived instructions for execution by an execution unit 204 of theprocessor 200. In addition, processor 200 includes predication logic 206coupled to the instruction decode logic 202, where predication logic 206is configured to analyze instructions in an instruction stream inparallel with instructions being decoded by the decode logic 202 todetermine whether to predicate each instruction in the instructionstream. In some embodiments of the invention, the predication logic 206determines a first register address from an instruction, determines asecond register address based on a value stored at the first registeraddress, and determines whether to predicate the instruction based on avalue stored at the second register address.

Processor 200 also includes issue/dependency logic 214, whereissue/dependency logic 214 issues instructions to the execution unit 204for execution. The predication logic 206 may communicate a predicationsignal to the dependency/issue logic 214 and/or execution unit 204indicating whether to execute or predicate an instruction in theinstruction stream. As shown, instructions of the instruction stream areloaded into the decode logic 202 and the predication logic 206substantially in parallel, and data may be communicated from the decodelogic 202 to the predication logic 206, including for example a signalindicating whether a loaded instruction is a valid instruction and/ordata corresponding to decoding a loaded instruction.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example implementation of predicationlogic 206 of the processor 200 of FIG. 5. The predication logic maydetermine a first register address corresponding to a register entry ofan indirect predicate register 220 from an instruction. As shown, theindirect predicate register address may comprise N bits of theinstruction, and the indirect predicate register may include 2^(N)register entries. Therefore, in some embodiments the N bits of theindirect predicate register address of the instruction may point to the2^(N) register entries of the indirect predicate register.

A value stored at the indirect predicate register entry pointed to bythe indirect predicate register address of the instruction is used todetermine a second register address corresponding to a direct predicateregister 222. In some embodiments, each indirect predicate register 220entry stores X bits of data, and the predicate direct register 222stores 2^(X) bits. Therefore, in some embodiments, each register entryof the indirect predicate register 220 may point to direct predicateregister bit address of the direct predicate register 222. As shown inFIG. 6, a value stored at the direct predicate register bit address ofthe of the direct predicate register 222 may be logically combined withan instruction valid signal received from instruction decode logicassociated with the predication logic 206 to output a predication signalthat indicates whether to predicate the instruction.

Turning now to FIG. 7, this figure provides a flowchart 300 thatillustrates a sequence of operations that may be performed by aprocessor consistent with embodiments of the invention to selectivelypredicate an instruction. A first register address is determined basedat least in part on the instruction (block 302). In some embodiments,the instruction may include one or more bits that indicate a registeraddress. In some embodiments, one or more of the bits that indicate aregister address may also correspond to other portions of theinstruction, including for example a primary opcode portion, a secondaryopcode portion, a source address, and/or a target address. As such, inthese embodiments, predication logic of the processor may determine thefirst register address by analyzing the one or more bits that indicate aregister address.

The predication logic may access a register corresponding to the firstregister address to determine a value stored at the first registeraddress, and based on the value stored at the first register address,the predication logic may determine a second register address (block304). In some embodiments, the first register address may point to aparticular register entry of a plurality of possible register entries,and the value at the particular register entry may correspond to thesecond register address. For example, in some embodiments, theparticular register entry may store at least a portion of the secondregister address. The predication logic may access a registercorresponding to the second register address to determine a value storedat the second register address, and the processor may selectivelypredicate the instruction based at least in part on the value stored atthe second register address (block 306).

FIG. 8 provides flowchart 320 that illustrates a sequence of operationsthat may be performed by a processor consistent with embodiments of theinvention to selectively predicate instructions in an instructionstream. An instruction of the instruction stream is received at theprocessor (block 322). As shown above with respect to FIG. 5, theprocessor may receive an instruction concurrently at an instructiondecode logic and a predication logic of the processor. The processordetermines whether the instruction is of a type that supportsinstruction predication (block 324). In some embodiments, instructiondecode logic of the processor may decode the received instruction anddetermine whether the instruction is of the type that supportsinstruction predication, and the instruction decode logic maycommunicate a signal to the predication logic indicating whether theinstruction is of the type that supports predication. In response todetermining that the instruction is not of the type that supportspredication (“N” branch of block 324), the processor may execute theinstruction (block 326).

In response to determining that the instruction is of the type thatsupports predication (“Y” branch of block 324), a first register addressmay be determined based at least in part on the instruction (block 328).In some embodiments the instruction may include one or more bits thatindicate the first register address. In some embodiments the predicationlogic may analyze such bits to determine the first register address. Insome embodiments, the instruction decode logic may communicate the bitsindicating the first register address to the predication logic. Aregister corresponding to the first register address is accessed todetermine a value stored at the first register address, and thepredication logic determines a second register address based at least inpart on the value stored at the first register address (block 330).

A register corresponding to the second register address is accessed todetermine a value stored at the second register address (block 332), andthe processor determines whether to predicate the instruction based atleast in part on the value stored at the second register address (block334). In response to determining to predicate the instruction (“Y”branch of block 334), the instruction is predicated and a nextinstruction in the instruction stream is received (block 322). Inresponse to determining not to predicate the instruction (“N” branch ofblock 334), the processor executes the instruction (block 336).

As such, in embodiments of the invention performing operationsconsistent with flowchart 320, the first register address may bedetermined based on the instruction, and a second register address maybe determined based on the value stored at the first register address.The instruction may be selectively predicated based on the value storedat the second register address. Moreover, in these embodiments,utilization of the first register address that stores a valuecorresponding to the second register address may reduce the number ofbits in each instruction utilized to point to a predication registeraddress. In embodiments of the invention, a register corresponding tothe first register address (e.g., an indirect predicate register) and aregister corresponding to the second register address (e.g., a directpredicate register) may be fully architected such that move to/fromgeneral purpose register (GPR) type instructions may be supported.

To illustrate an example application instruction predication, a pixelshader code example is provided below including a plurality ofinstructions in an instruction stream that may be selectivelypredicated. In the first example, Example 1, the pixel shader code doesnot utilize indirect instruction predication. In the second example,Example 2, the pixel shader code utilizes indirect instructionpredication consistent with embodiments of the invention. Thepseudo-code examples provided below provide a portion of an unrolledloop performing triangle rasterization. The examples perform thefollowing tasks in support of rasterizing 4 pixels in succession: loadthe previous Z buffer value for that location, calculate the barycentriccoordinates, calculate the Z depth for the new pixel, check if Z buffertesting is enabled (zflag=1) and if so, check to see if the new pixel iscloser to the camera than the old one. If it is, update the Z buffer anddraw the pixel. Otherwise, skip on to the next pixel.

Example 1

pixel0: lfsx prev_z0, r_zb, r_i # load prev z value vaddfp bcc, bcc,bcci # update barycentric coords vdot3fp new_z0, bcc, z0 # calculate zfor new pixel cmpi zflag, 1 bneq n0 fcmp prev_z0, new_z0 # compare zvalues bge pixel1 # skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn   one n0:stfsx new_z0,r_zb,r_i # store to zbuffer (if not predicated) stvxcolor_z0,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i, r_i, 4# update the zbuffer pointer pixel1: lfsx prev_z1, r_zb, r_i # load prevz value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # update barycentric coords vdot3fpnew_z1, bcc, z1 # calculate z for new pixel cmpi zflag, 1 bneq n1 fcmpprev_z1, new_z1 # compare z values bge pixel2 # skip if new pixel isbehind a prev drawn   one n1: stfsx new_z1,r_zb,r_i # store to zbuffer(if not predicated) stvx color_z1,r_cb,r_i # store the color to thecolor buffer addi r_i, r_i, 4 # update the zbuffer pointer pixel2: lfsxprev_z2, r_zb, r_i # load prev z value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # updatebarycentric coords vdot3fp new_z1, bcc, z2 # calculate z for new pixelcmpi zflag, 1 bneq n2 fcmp prev_z2, new_z2 # compare z values bge pixel3# skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn   one n2: stfsxnew_z2,r_zb,r_i # store to zbuffer (if not predicated) stvxcolor_z2,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i, r_i, 4# update the zbuffer pointer pixel3: lfsx prev_z3, r_zb, r_i # load prevz value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # update barycentric coords vdot3fpnew_z3, bcc, z3 # calculate z for new pixel cmpi zflag, 1 bneq n3 fcmpprev_z3, new_z3 # compare z values bge pixel3 # skip if new pixel isbehind a prev drawn   one n2: stfsx new_z3,r_zb,r_i # store to zbuffer(if not predicated) stvx color_z3,r_cb,r_i # store the color to thecolor buffer addi r_i, r_i, 4 # update the zbuffer pointer

In this example, the large number of inline branch mispredicts mayhamper performance, as some of the branches may not be taken, whichleads to pipeline flushes.

Example 2

cmpi zflag, 1 beq pixel0 #skip to the start if ztest is enabledztest_disabled: mtip 1, 61 #move the value 61 to ind pred register 1mfdptgpr 13 #copy the contents of direct pred register to GPR13 ori 13,13, 0x4 #set bit 61 of GPR13 mfgprtdp 13 #copy GPR13 to the dir predregister pixel0: lfsx prev_z0, r_zb, r_i # load prev z value vaddfp bcc,bcc, bcci # update barycentric coords vdot3fp new_z0, bcc, z0 #calculate z for new pixel fcmp prev_z0, new_z0 # compare z values bgepixel1 # skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn   one stfsxnew_z0,r_zb,r_i, p1 # store to zbuffer (if not predicated) stvxcolor_z0,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i, r_i,4, p1 # update the zbuffer pointer pixel1: lfsx prev_z1, r_zb, r_i #load prev z value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # update barycentric coordsvdot3fp new_z1, bcc, z1 # calculate z for new pixel fcmp prev_z1, new_z1# compare z values bge pixel2 # skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn  one stfsx new_z1,r_zb,r_i, p1 # store to zbuffer (if not predicated)stvx color_z1,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i,r_i, 4, p1 # update the zbuffer pointer pixel2: lfsx prev_z2, r_zb, r_i# load prev z value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # update barycentric coordsvdot3fp new_z2, bcc, z2 # calculate z for new pixel fcmp prev_z2, new_z2# compare z values bge pixel3 # skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn  one stfsx new_z2,r_zb,r_i, p1 # store to zbuffer (if not predicated)stvx color_z2,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i,r_i, 4, p1 # update the zbuffer pointer pixel3 lfsx prev_z3, r_zb, r_i #load prev z value vaddfp bcc, bcc, bcci # update barycentric coordsvdot3fp new_z3, bcc, z3 # calculate z for new pixel fcmp prev_z3, new_z3# compare z values bge pixel4 # skip if new pixel is behind a prev drawn  one stfsx new_z3,r_zb,r_i, p1 # store to zbuffer (if not predicated)stvx color_z3,r_cb,r_i # store the color to the color buffer addi r_i,r_i, 4, p1 # update the zbuffer pointer

In this example, based on a compare instruction (i.e., comparing zvalues for each pixel), one or more instructions may be predicated inthe instruction stream. Referring to the portion of code directed to‘pixel0’, the instruction ‘fcmp prev_z0, new_z0’ compares an old z-valueto a new z-value, and based on the compare, the four instructionsfollowing the compare instruction may be skipped (i.e., the new objectwill not be drawn for the pixel because a previously drawn object forthe pixel is closer to the camera). As shown in the example, an indirectpredicate register entry is set to the value 61 (‘mtip 1, 61’), and abit location ‘61’ of a direct predication register is set to indicatewhether to predicate the instruction (‘ori 13, 13, 0x4’; ‘mfgprtdp 13’).

FIG. 9 provides a block diagram illustrating a 32 bit instruction 400including support for instruction predication. As shown, the 32 bitinstruction includes 6 bits dedicated to a primary opcode 402 for theinstruction, 5 bits dedicated to a target address 404, 5 bits dedicatedto each of three source addresses (VA 406, VB 408, and VC 410), and 6bits dedicated to a predication register address 412. In contrast, FIG.10 provides a block diagram illustrating a 32 bit instruction 450including support for indirect instruction predication. As shown, theinstruction includes 6 bits dedicated to a primary opcode 452 for theinstruction, 5 bits dedicated to a target address, 5 bits dedicated toeach of three source addresses (VA 456, VB 458, and VC 460), 2 bitsdedicated an indirect predication register address 462, and 4 bitsdedicated to a secondary opcode for the instruction. As illustrated bythe example, embodiments of the invention may reduce the number of bitsin an instruction dedicated to predication such that bits may bededicated to a secondary opcode.

While the invention has been illustrated by a description of the variousembodiments and the examples, and while these embodiments have beendescribed in considerable detail, it is not the intention of theapplicants to restrict or in any other way limit the scope of theappended claims to such detail. For example, the blocks of any of theflowcharts may be re-ordered, processed serially and/or processedconcurrently without departing from the scope of the invention.Moreover, any of the flowcharts may include more or fewer blocks thanthose illustrated consistent with embodiments of the invention.Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to thoseskilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects istherefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatusand method, and illustrative example shown and described. In particular,any of the blocks of the above flowcharts may be deleted, augmented,made to be simultaneous with another, combined, or be otherwise alteredin accordance with the principles of the invention. Accordingly,departures may be made from such details without departing from thespirit or scope of applicants' general inventive concept.

1. A method of executing an instruction in a processor, the methodcomprising; decoding an instruction including a first register addresspointing to a particular predicate indirect register with instructiondecoding logic; receiving the first register address and a valid signalindicating that the instruction is of a type that supports predicationat predication logic; retrieving a value stored at the particularpredicate indirect register pointed to by the first register address todetermine a second register bit address corresponding to a predicatedirect register; analyzing the second register bit address correspondingto the predicate direct register to determine a bit value of the secondregister bit address of the predicate direct register; communicating apredicated instruction signal based on the bit value of the secondregister bit address of the predicate direct register from thepredication logic, the predicated instruction signal indicating whetherto predicate the instruction; and selectively predicating theinstruction in an execution pipeline of the processor based on thepredicated instruction signal.
 2. A method of executing instructions ina processor, the method comprising: receiving an instruction including afirst register address; determining a second register address based atleast in part on a value stored at the first register address; andselectively predicating the instruction based at least in part on avalue stored at the second register address.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the first register address corresponds to a first register andthe second register address corresponds to a second register.
 4. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the value stored at the first registeraddress corresponds to a bit address of the second register, anddetermining the second register address based at least in part on thevalue stored at the first register address comprises retrieving thevalue stored at the first register address.
 5. The method of claim 2,wherein the first register address comprises N bits of the instructionthat points to one of 2N register entries.
 6. The method of claim 2,wherein selectively predicating the instruction comprises communicatinga predication enable signal to an execution unit of the processor, thepredication enable signal indicating to predicate the instruction. 7.The method of claim 6, wherein the predication enable signal is based onthe value stored at the second register address.
 8. The method of claim2, further comprising: determining whether the instruction is of a typethat supports predication at decoding logic of the processor, whereinselectively predicating the instruction is based at least in part on thedetermination of whether the instruction is of a type that supportspredication.
 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the value stored at thesecond register address is a bit value, and selectively predicating theinstruction based at least in part on the value stored at the secondregister address comprises: predicating the instruction responsive tothe bit value stored at the second register address having a value ofone. 10.-20. (canceled)